Direction: James Algar and Samuel Armstrong (USA 1940)
With Music by Beethoven, Tschaikowsky, Strawinsky, Debussy, Gershwin and others

This year’s film concert breathes new life into the heroes of our childhood with a beloved film featuring great works of musical history. Synchronised movie music accompaniment isn’t called ›Mickey Mousing‹ for nothing. One could argue that Walt Disney’s »Silly Symphonies« were the world’s first music videos ever made. But in »Fantasia«, the music wasn’t composed for the film, but rather the animation was made to match the music.

The original idea was to offer an experience that spoke to all the senses. But in the end, incorporating perfumes and 3D effects in the cinemas wasn’t financially feasible. Nonetheless, it was the first time a multi-channel audio system was used in filmmaking. Walt Disney won two honorary Oscars for the film – for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of the use of sound in motion pictures and unique achievement in the creation of a new form of visualised music. Although the movie flopped at the box office, it gained the recognition it deserved with repeat performances and further enhancements. Disney even released a sequel to the movie in 1999 titled »Fantasia 2000«.